


Cinnamon Sea

by aobapasta



Category: Original Work
Genre: Broken Engagement, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Kidnapping, Period-Typical Homophobia, Period-Typical Sexism, Pirates, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-04 21:29:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17906006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aobapasta/pseuds/aobapasta
Summary: Estelle is a medieval lady with too much time to kill, until her life changes drastically. Will involve pirates and a lot of wlw romance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope this is better than I think it is.

The day was bright, but clouds were beginning to form on the horizon, the threat of rain becoming visible. Squinting in the sunlight, Estelle patiently waited as their guest descended from the carriage. “Hello, darling.” A young man, at least twenty, smiled down at her. Taking her hand gently, he placed a kiss directly onto it. Smiling with her usual politeness, she curtsied.  
“What brings you to the city outskirts this afternoon?”  
“Making jokes as usual.” Without another look in her direction, he continued to speak in a professional voice to her parents.  
Estelle was disappointed in his visit, however she might try and hide it. Her face might have expressed silent serenity, but the tenseness of her muscles did not go unnoticed by her brother.  
“He’ll be gone before you know it.” Mathieu stated in a low voice as though they were discussing the weather. Without losing her composure, Estelle delicately waved to the man in question.  
“I dislike him thoroughly.”  
“You’re sixteen, you dislike everyone.” Mathieu rolled his eyes as he tugged her hand to follow their sisters inside. Without looking back, Estelle followed him towards their château. As soon as they were out of sight, he mentioned his true feelings in a conversational tone; “But I cannot disagree.”  
The day passed slowly without incident. As expected, the visit was dull and long, and dinner took far too long to arrive. Rain began to pour by midday, and all the family and servants found themselves abandoning their game of croquet and hustling inside for cover. They entertained their guest by playing board games, making small talk, discussing business, exchanging views on politics, and every other drab subject that had ever disinterested her. When she was left alone for any amount of time, Estelle would gaze out the window at the rain and wish she was anywhere else, anywhere that wasn’t within ten miles of her home. On more than one occasion, she would be caught exchanging a sly joke with her brother or sisters and receive a silent but stern glance from her father and mother.  
Eventually, after hours of the same uninteresting routine, Estelle began to find excuses to move her legs. “She’s too young.” having just excused herself to use the privy, she caught her brother’s hushed voice drifting through the sitting room door. “You can’t possibly think she’s ready for such a burden.”  
“She is perfectly capable. It’s not as if the ceremony is tomorrow; she has time to grow and learn to accept our decision before it is final.” Her mother was whispering, and Estelle had to press her ear against the door to hear.  
“I cannot and will not agree with you. He is the least preferable man in the vicinity.”  
“I will hear no more of this.” As their mother’s footsteps grew closer to the exit, Estelle quickly hid behind a pillar, out of sight. Of what they were discussing, she had a solemn idea. Despite knowing her future was inevitable, she felt a pit of worry growing in her stomach; pressing her back against the stones, she took even breaths to steady her nerves. The moment her mother was out of sight, she quietly entered the room where the conversation had taken place.  
“Mathieu? What’s the matter?” He was standing where their mother had left him, rubbing his temples in irritation.  
“We both knew this day was coming. But to think that they would pawn you off to such an insolent man…”  
Understanding the situation and gently placing a hand on his shoulder, Estelle smiled softly. “You have no say in the decision. I don’t expect that they will change their minds anytime soon. I hope that you don’t blame yourself.” The two had always been close; as the youngest in the family, and far more so than any other daughter, her brother had always doted on her. The same could not be said for her mother and father, who preferred to pretend she did not exist on most occasions. Or, rather, occasions that did not concern the prospect of waving goodbye as she rode away in a carriage. One less child to marry off, no longer of their concern.  
“I suppose I just wished better for you.” Sighing, Mathieu placed a hand on her back and guided her towards the doorway. “We should return before any questions are asked.” The siblings headed back to the gathering, which just so happened to be as boring as when they had left it.  
Finally, after hours of so-called entertainment, dinner was served. Although the conversation was dull and disinteresting, there was at least the allure of food to keep Estelle in her seat. Near the end of the meal, she was struggling to stay awake, considering the risks of excusing herself to her bedchamber; the combination of a full course meal and wine had left her drowsy.  
“My dear,” began Victor, voice laden with drink. Knowing his intentions and still feeling disappointment grow inside, she listened to him to the best of her ability. “I have a proposal for you.”  
“What could that be? Surely anything you could propose to me would be absolutely delightful.” Catching the thinly veiled sarcasm in her voice, her sister nudged her in the ribs with her elbow. It was of no matter, as he was far too intoxicated to notice. Of course, her mother was just sober enough to send daggers shooting in her direction.  
“For a while I have watched you blossom with youth and beauty…” he continued into a long soliloquy concerning her apparent attractiveness. Estelle rolled her eyes more than once. “…and so I would be so honored if I could ask for your hand in marriage.”  
Knowing full well there was only one correct answer, she assumed a smile. “Of course. I would love nothing more than to accept your hand on my twentieth birthday.” The room full of family began to murmur and congratulate Estelle on her achievement in becoming the fiancée of such a handsome, wealthy young courtesan. She graciously accepted the conversation until, finally, it was time for Victor to retire. The young woman was more than thankful that he would be leaving in the morning.  
“Goodnight my lovely.” Red-faced from his drunken state and self-appreciation, he kissed her hand and bid her goodnight. Estelle grimaced mildly the moment his back was turned.  
Mathieu wordlessly kissed her forehead as each member of the party retired to their rooms. Grateful for the opportunity to finally be out of sight, Estelle shut her bedroom door behind her and immediately fell onto her bed. A maidservant came in minutes later to help her into her nightclothes, which she accepted with far less conversation than usual. Curled up under the covers, Estelle squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to push the day out of her mind. Of course, it didn’t work, and tears eventually came.  
It was so profoundly unfair that she would be married off this way, like just another link in a long chain of unimportance. She didn’t know why, or what made her feel quite so sad, but she did know that nothing in her life had ever made her feel quite so lonely. She supposed that it was meant to have the opposite effect, but whenever she imagined him taking her hand, she shivered. He wasn’t the worst man, nor the best that she could be married to, but somehow she knew that she could never be happy in this looming future. Head swimming with fears and pillow slightly dampened, Estelle gradually drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Estelle because I love her

The crowd smelled like perfume and wine, and expensive dresses made soft ruffling sounds as Estelle pushed her way through the group of courtesans. The tinkling of laughter came from the other room, and she was only slightly surprised when she rounded the corner and saw Victor with his arms around more than just one woman. Also unsurprising was their choice of dress, clearly reflective of their intentions later this evening. Quickly ducking out of sight, Estelle listened with keen ears to the conversation taking place between them.  
“Don’t tell me you’re spending the night with such a boring girl.”  
Victor’s voice was slow and slurred, dripping with alcohol. “How could I ever think to leave you two alone?” Estelle heard one of the girls giggle as he presumably swept her off her feet with some form of romantic gesture. Stepping out from behind her hiding place, Estelle gracefully entered the room as if nothing was amiss. She was more than convinced he would be seeing whoever they were within the next few hours in a far less formal atmosphere. Despite this fact, there was no need to call attention to his behavior.  
“Having fun, dearest?”  
“Why certainly. If you’ll excuse me…” she watched as he swayed in the direction of a pretty young brunette with pearls in her hair. She supposed that at least it meant he wasn’t making conversation with her for any longer than necessary. Truly nothing could make time tick by slower than a long conversation with her fiancé. Politics, government, money, foreign affairs… none of it meant anything to her. Not because she didn’t care, but because it came from the least interesting person on the entire planet.  
“I wish you wouldn’t marry him.” A voice sounded from directly next to her ear, causing her to start in the direction of the sentence. “Stay here forever. Marry me instead.”  
“Louis, you know how I feel about this.” Leaning her head on his shoulder, she relaxed ever so slightly. “I care for you. Not that way.”  
“Of course, but it never hurts to try.” He winked at her just as she looked up to see it.  
“I’ll miss you. Not this place. But you and my brother I’ll miss.”  
“Remember what I told you. Stay away from the bedroom…”  
“I know all this!” Estelle casually shoved him away as he began to laugh. She stuck out her tongue in disgust at his suggestion that she might want to enter Victor’s bedchambers. “I’ll have no reason to be bothered by him for… that anyway. I’ve never stopped him from his habit of woman-collecting.”  
“Ah, so that’s the explanation. It took long enough for you to admit it. I always wondered why you didn’t stop him. It’s truly animalistic.” Estelle sighed as she watched Victor out of the corner of her vision; he was currently whispering something into the ear of the lady in pearls while her father had his back turned. It was surely for the best, as she could not imagine a more unpleasant way for her to spend her night than in his bedsheets. Maybe if she wished hard enough, he would never approach her with such intent. Nothing made her stomach turn more.  
“Unless you have in place a murder for hire plot right at this very moment, there is no going back. Not that there ever was to begin with.”  
“Unfortunately, I prefer to keep my hands clean of blood among many other things.”  
“I won’t ask what the other things might be.”  
“Good choice.”  
After a long conversation that might be their last for more than a while, the engagement party finally began to dwindle in size. Estelle wished her longtime friend goodnight and headed up the stairs before turning down one of their many hallways towards her own room. Looking around at all the packed bags, she suddenly felt sad, the truth of her situation washing over her. She would not be returning in the near future. This was her home, and her childhood memories resided here. Though her sisters might already be gone, there was still so much to remember.  
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft purr rumbling from the floor. “Good evening, Mouse.” Estelle gently picked up her brown cat and stroked her fur. “Don’t worry darling. I’ll take you with me if it’s the last thing I do.” Her tail lashed happily as she closed her eyes, immediately falling asleep in her arms. Knowing she should do the same, the young woman laid in her bed with her feline friend, heart laden with sadness and anxiety towards the day to come. Petting Mouse made her drowsy as it did every night, and she eventually slept despite her fears.


	3. Chapter 3

The sound of the wind gusting across the deck was the first thing Estelle became familiar with as she followed an escort on board the ship. Crew members were hustling about their business, preparing for the voyage to come. She had heard it was not expected to be any definition of short.  
Her things had been brought aboard the night before, ultimately finding their way either towards the storage deck or her room. Since she was not yet officially married to her fiancé, she had been allowed to acquire her own individual cabin; for the first time in her life, Estelle found herself appreciating the rigidity of marriage customs.  
The sounds of the crowd gathered outside were permeating the air, and she attempted to find a moment of solace in the confinement of her quarters. Once her escort had left, she opened her biggest bag to reveal some very long whiskers, the owner of which was relieved beyond measure to jump out and stretch.  
After a few moments to calm her high-strung nerves, Estelle gathered the courage to bid her family and friends goodbye. They would be leaving any minute, so she made her way out to the deck, where she stood holding onto the wooden railing. Once they began to drift, she waved goodbye, watching the familiar faces become smaller. Her exchange of goodbyes that morning had been difficult, especially when it came to her brother. He meant the world to her as her best friend, and she worried how long she would have to spend apart before being allowed to visit. No matter how much she wished that she could turn back time or change the past, she knew that there was no way of doing so. Only of moving forward. Once the harbor grew small in the distance, she turned her back towards her home and drew a deep breath. It was time for something new, and she would be as positive as she could about what was to come.  
***  
The sound of dripping water along with the creaking of the ship was familiarly dull, and Estelle rolled over in her bed a few times before sitting up impatiently in her bed. Mouse made a small noise of protest as she moved, jumping off of her lap and repositioning herself on the foot of the bed. The trip had been excruciatingly boring so far, the monotony of the sea only broken by mealtime, which was hardly ever edible. She wondered why on earth some chose to spend their lives on the water.  
She leaned back on the wood of the walls and began to count. Just as she had gotten the slightest bit drowsy, she heard loud noises above. It sounded like the clashing of swords. Although she knew that many crew members carried weapons for their own safety and the protection of royalty, she had never heard any being drawn before. Curiosity peaked, she gently lifted Mouse from her position on the bed and opened the door. Drawing nothing but purrs from her friend, she lightly stepped down the hallway.  
There was yelling. Smoke? She had no idea what was going on, but it definitely wasn’t good. Nevertheless, she thought that if she was going to die, she wanted to know why. Estelle surprised herself with her own nonchalance about death; she supposed it was because of her circumstances as well as her impending marriage. Exiting the sleeping quarters and peeking around the corner, what she saw was worse than she had imagined.  
Men were everywhere, some fallen and some fighting, but clearly those she knew were being slowly but surely defeated by… pirates. They had to be. They weren’t wearing royal colors of any sort. There was blood everywhere as well, and despite her efforts to ignore it, she immediately slid to the ground and fainted.


	4. Chapter 4

“There’s no point in determining who stays and who comes with us. None of them are worth the trouble. Let’s just take the loot and leave.”  
“I thought you were smarter than that. Pity.” Both men turned at the sound of her voice, sullen that they had been overheard.   
“My apologies,” grumbled the taller one.  
The first mate strode past them with little more than a second glance, coming to stand next to the captain. “Everything is taken care of. All that’s left is to deal with the prisoners.” She stood with her arms crossed, tan skin exposed at the wrists. While she was listening to the captain’s response, she saw a commotion out of the corner of her eye. A young woman had broken her restraints.  
She walked casually in her direction, observing the situation. She watched as one crewmate slapped the terrified girl. “Enough.”  
“She tried to escape.”  
The first mate ignored him. “What’s your name.”  
“Estelle Cantillon,” she said shakily. She wondered where the courage to try and bolt had come from.  
“I see. So you’re one of the nobles who can fetch us a pretty penny.”  
The look in her eyes was one of determination. “Just let me die with the rest of them. I won’t be going back there, one way or another.” The sudden courage surprised her.  
“You’d rather die than return with your fiancé safe and sound?”  
“Yes. Do as you like, but you will earn no money from me, one way or another.” For a noblewoman, she was at least mildly interesting. “If I’m going to die anyway, at least tell me your name.”  
“Alessia. First mate of my crew. Unless you’re the captain, you answer to me. You are to be taken to retrieve your belongings.” She looked at the men restraining her with a pointed gaze.  
“No!” She struggled against them, causing less than no change in her position. “I thought I made myself clear!”  
“Quite.” Turning around, Alessia began to give instructions to crewmates as necessary.  
***  
Estelle struggled during the entire walk to her room, all the while considering how she might be able to off herself easily. The biggest challenge would be managing to do so under the supervision of the guards. They were nearly twice her height, and definitely could crush her with one blow. That sounded like the least pleasant way to go.  
As she began to pack her most essential belongings, Estelle noticed that she had begun to cry. Maybe she wasn’t so strong about death after all. Realizing she had very little time to come to a decision about her predicament, she grabbed the first pointed object she could find. In the split second it took her to hesitate, the guard had her wrist in a hold so tight she thought it might break, causing her to let go. After that, she was not let out of sight until she was brought back to the bow of the ship.  
“Mouse!” Estelle exclaimed, nearly dropping her belongings.  
“Bitch is scared of a mouse.” Estelle heard the guard laughing at her expense, but she paid him no attention as she ran in the direction of the very woman who wanted to take her captive.  
“Don’t hurt her. Please.” On the brink of tears, Estelle was practically begging.  
Alessia looked somewhat taken aback. “Why would I hurt a cat? What’s the point in that?”  
“I don’t know…” she was crying now. How embarrassing. She felt a soft presence on her chest as she was handed her pet, and was sure that the look of surprise would be obvious on her face. The short blonde pressed her face into the soft fur of her cat and immediately felt relief. When she looked up, Alessia was… smiling. That pirate who wanted to take her captive was smiling. It was barely noticeable, but absolutely present.  
“Alright. Take the two and light it up.”  
“What?” Alessia paid her no attention as she was taken across a treacherous rope to the ship that had originally boarded them. Her fiancé was close behind, unfortunately. What was fortunate was that he was gagged.  
Despite the terror of the situation, or maybe because of it, Estelle followed the commands she was given. By the time she realized what was happening, all she could see across the narrow channel connecting the ships was flames.


End file.
